Paul: His Life and His Teachings Living in Righteousness
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No.42 Paul: His Life and Teachings - Living in Righteousness (Part 1)
No.43 Paul: His Life and Teachings - Living in Righteousness (Part 2)
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We have been studying about the Revelation of God’s Righteousness as part of our series on Paul: His Life and His Teachings and previously we look into how God’s righteousness is being revealed in the gospel message and in the preaching of the Word. In this lesson, we will continue to talk about God’s righteousness as revealed in the righteous life of a believer. So, let’s look at the things that we need to be constantly conscious about if we are to continue the life of faith. Let’s start with boasting in the Lord, and not in our selves. Boasting is a common problem universally. Some of the self-help programs, or makegood seminars is feeding boastfulness in people. By definition, boasting is “ascribing to self either more and better things than he has, or even what he does not possess at all.” It is also making promises that one cannot perform. Therefore, we can say that boasting is making more of oneself than what reality justifies. We see in boasting man’s desire to stand on his own feet and not do depend on God, that he build on that which he himself can accomplish and control. In this sense, boasting is trusting in self. God told us to trust in Him.
The Bible offers a lot of passages against boasting. In Proverbs 25:14 for instance, a man who boasts of his gifts falsely is likened to clouds and wind without rain. Another proverb tells us to not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth (Prov.27:1). John makes an interesting take on boasting. John describes a boastful person in the context of the will of God. A boastful person does not ask concerning the will of the God but tries to make out that he himself may sovereignly decide, whereas in actuality the decision lies with God (1 John 2:16,17). All the above give boasting a very negative sense. This is where Paul made a twist by sanctifying the phrase “boast in the Lord.” The pre-requisite is for us to know the will of God first and what He wants to deliver. Otherwise, we are just lying about God and His will. Now, we can see that humility is opposes boasting. Humility is an acknowledgement that Jesus is the wisdom of God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. Recognizing who Jesus is to us and mean to us is actually what boasting in the Lord is. As we declare who God is to us and in us, God can deliver!
We boast in God and what He can do! The sons of Korah did this. Perhaps this is the highest form of boasting. As the psalmist wrote, “In God we have boasted all day long, and we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah.” (Ps. 44:8 NAU). The Hebrew word is הָלַל halal. This is where the word hallelujah is taken from. This means to “praise Jehovah.” The idea here is chanting “loud” praises. We shout about who God is, this what we do when we praise and worship. Anthropologists and psychologists tell us that human beings invariably imitate what they worship. So, the end result of boasting in God is the sincere aspiration to be like Him. Whenever we imitate God, we are boasting in the Lord. Another way of boasting in the Lord is by being the righteousness of God, that He made us to be (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21 NAU). Let us look at Jesus, the very righteousness of God. Jesus is not acquainted with sin. Yet, He chose to be sin (meaning, or equivalent to “sin offering”) for us or on our behalf. This is in order that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Jesus made us righteous before God! Jesus accomplished this for us. Because of Him we can stand before the Lord as righteous ones, as if we have never sinned in our lives. As we live in Jesus, we are living right. This is what God made or transformed us to be after believing in Jesus. This is how we live in righteousness. Yet, even with this truth that Jesus accomplished for us, there are still some believers who could not get themselves to look or approach God with confidence that they are accepted in the beloved. These are the believers who keep telling God that they are not worthy! However, the bible tells us that we are made righteous in Christ. Christ has already died for us, we just have to appropriate and believe in what He did in faith. Living in righteousness is living by faith in Jesus. This involves a choice that we have to make, just as Paul made the choice to live by faith in the Son of God. Finally, we are to fear God and serve God with all faithfulness. To fear God is to revere Him and to honor. To serve Him is to work for Him and to labor for Him. May we all make that choice today. Praise be to God!